How to Win the Second Space Race

The first space race was between the Soviet Union and the United States. The book serves as both a wake-up call and a reminder of the importance of space exploration, not only for the economic prosperity of the United States but also for its national security. Following the United States' victory in the first space race, the authors argue, there was a total absence of clear objectives in the nation's space policy. These lost years of manned space travel are symbolized by the Space Shuttle, which failed on every level: "NASA expected to fly shuttles every two weeks and told Congress that each mission would cost only $10 million. Payload costs were to be as low as $100/lb in 1972 dollars." But NASA never came even close. "Nearly everyone in the space community has been frustrated by the lack of substantial progress in space since the demise of Apollo. Today, a few bold dreamers are doing something about that. Free markets and entrepreneurship are America's real space weapons." The authors repeatedly highlight the fact that China has recognized the critical role that space plays in both economic and military domains and provide numerous examples to support their assertion. There are now over 100 private Chinese space companies striving to emulate the success of private space companies in the United States. "Most of the funds invested into the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule would come from private sources. It would be by far the least expensive and most effective space launch program that NASA had ever participated in." In fact, it was even better than the authors write: the money from the contract, which was intended to cover the firm's initial costs, was enough for SpaceX to complete the entire development!